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Intrasound therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee

Condition category

Musculoskeletal Diseases

Date applied

28/03/2015

Date assigned

16/06/2015

Last edited

12/05/2015

Prospective/Retrospective

Retrospectively registered

Overall trial status

Completed

Recruitment status

No longer recruiting

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis, is a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff. OA typically affects the knees, hips and small joints of the hands. OA is an incurable, long term condition but there are a number of treatments available to manage its symptoms, in addition to maintaining a healthy weight and regularly exercising. OA of the knee can often result in disability and make it hard for people to carry out their normal daily activities. It can also make it difficult for people to exercise. Physiotherapists can help people to create an exercise plan to manage their symptoms. They also provide various treatments to reduce pain and swelling in the joints. One such treatment is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which is often used to reduce pain in OA. In TENS, electrodes attached to a small, battery-operated machine are placed on the affected body part, such as the knee. When the machine is switched on, electrical signals are sent to the nerves which disrupt the pain signals. There are also various complementary and alternative therapies available to people with OA. Intrasound Therapy (IST) is a complementary therapy which uses sound waves to give pain relief for inflammatory conditions such as OA of the knee. It is a simple device for home use, and some OA sufferers have found that it helps relieve their symptoms. However, IST has not been scientifically tested so we don’t know how well it actually works. This is the first study to test how well IST works in adults with OA of the knee. The aim of this study is to see how well IST works to help patients with OA of the knee manage their pain compared to TENS.

Who can participate?Adult with OA of the knee

What does the study involve? Participants are randomly allocated into one of three groups. Those in group 1 (control group) carry out a range of exercises. Those in group 2 (intervention group) receive IST and carry out a range of exercises. Those in group 3 (intervention group) receive TENS and carry out a range of exercises. Mobility and pain levels are measured before treatment and after 8 weeks of treatment. Participants also complete questionnaires.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? Participants are not exposed to any known risks as the treatments are considered safe to use.

Where is the study run from? Lagos University Teaching Hospital (Nigeria)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? June 2014 to November 2014

Who is funding the study? Investigator initiated and funded (Nigeria)

Who is the main contact?Dr A Aiyegbusi (scientific)aaiyegbusi@unilag.edu.ng